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Promise and Potential

We are on the Brink of a New Era of Medicine

Regenerative medicine represents a new paradigm in human health, with the potential to resolve unmet medical needs by addressing the underlying causes of disease.

Regenerative medicine research translates fundamental knowledge in biology, chemistry and physics into materials, devices, systems and a variety of therapeutic strategies that augment, repair, replace or regenerate organs and tissues. This rapidly evolving, interdisciplinary field in healthcare is transforming the practice of medicine, medical innovation and the production of medical devices and therapies.

Why Is regenerative medicine so important to the future of healthcare?

Currently, the vast majority of treatments for chronic and/or life-threatening diseases are palliative. Others delay disease progression and the onset of complications associated with the underlying illness. Very few therapies in use today are capable of curing or significantly changing the course of disease. The result is a healthcare system burdened by costly treatments for an aging, increasingly ailing population, with few solutions for containing rising costs.

The best way to significantly improve the economics of our current healthcare system is to develop more effective treatments for the most burdensome diseases and conditions—diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, stroke and cardiovascular disease, for example—to facilitate longer, healthier and more productive lives.

Regenerative medicine is uniquely capable of altering the fundamental mechanisms of disease; however, to realize its potential, we must think differently about therapeutic development and commit to investing in these transformative technologies. A more effective, sustainable healthcare system is possible through regenerative medicine, but it will require the combined efforts of patients, payers, healthcare providers, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, private investors and governments working together.

Regenerative medicine: already a commercial and medical Reality

As we noted in our November 2016 white paper published in IN VIVO, "Curative Regenerative Medicines: Preparing Health Care Systems For The Coming Wave," several regenerative medicine products have been approved and are marketed in several regions and countries around the world - a chart with key examples is available at the link above and also here. Many other new therapies are nearing the market, hundreds currently in mid- to late-stage clinical trials, and it's expected that several will enter the market in the very short term.

Stakeholder coordination— a critical factor for success

Delivering cures through regenerative medicine requires coordination amongst a broad range of stakeholder groups from industry, academia, government, healthcare professionals, the investment community and consumer advocates. The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine is the voice for these groups, drawing them together to create an influential and unified community that is paving the way for a healthier future with many new life saving therapies.